It's 'CIS Week' on the D&D Daily! Follow along in the 'Vendor Spotlight' column below as CIS showcases LP/AP solutions for the retail industry

Walgreens Deploys Bodycams to Fight 'Rampant Shoplifting'
Walgreens workers will wear bodycams in some NYC stores but shoppers don’t want to be pharma seen
Walgreens will equip employees with body cameras in an apparent first in the city — but “Big Brother” weary New Yorkers say they don’t want to be pharma seen.

The pharmacy store giant — which also owns Duane Reade — kicked off a pilot program it said is aimed at promoting the “safety of both customers and team members.

But shoppers said the Orwellian tech is the latest thing to transform a trip to the corner store into a visit to a “war zone” after years of businesses taking extreme measures to combat rampant shoplifting including locking up even basic merchandise behind plexiglass.

“Body cameras can help de-escalate conflicts, ultimately contributing to a safer environment for everyone,” the company said in a statement. “We understand the importance of protecting customer privacy and have safeguards in place to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.”

The bodycams are not mandatory, however — employees can decide whether they want to wear the cameras while on the clock. The drugstore has not released any additional information on the pilot program, including how it would use the footage.

Walgreens also hasn’t said which, or how many, of its several dozen Big Apple stores, will be enrolled in the pilot program — leaving its own employees in the dark.

The pilot program comes just months after Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed that retail theft had dropped 13% between January and June of 2025 compared to the same time period the previous year.

Walgreens reported a 52% increase in “shrink” — or loss of inventory — before putting most of its merchandise behind glass, but Tim Wentworth, CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, said it was necessary to curb the retail theft he said was akin to a “hand-to-hand combat battle.”  nypost.com


Bodycams Reshape Retail Security
Retailers Turn to Body Cameras to Deter Crime and Improve Evidence Collection

By the D&D Daily staff

Retailers are increasingly exploring the use of body-worn cameras for security personnel as part of broader efforts to address retail crime and improve incident documentation.

Body cameras, widely adopted in law enforcement over the past decade, are now being piloted by some retailers and private security firms to enhance transparency, deter criminal behavior and strengthen evidence collection during theft incidents.

Security experts say one of the primary benefits is deterrence. When individuals are aware they are being recorded, they may be less likely to engage in theft or aggressive behavior toward store employees. Similar deterrence effects have been documented in other industries where body cameras are used during customer interactions.

In addition to deterrence, the cameras can capture high-quality video and audio that may assist investigations. Footage can help identify suspects, document the sequence of events during incidents and provide supporting evidence for law enforcement or prosecutors when cases move forward.

Body cameras can also play a role in reducing disputes about what occurred during a confrontation. Retail environments sometimes involve tense situations when employees or security staff intervene in suspected theft or disruptive behavior. Recorded footage can provide an objective account of these interactions, helping protect both employees and customers while improving accountability.

Retail loss prevention teams are also evaluating how body camera footage can support training programs. Reviewing real incidents allows security teams to analyze response tactics, communication and de-escalation strategies. This feedback can help organizations refine procedures and improve employee preparedness.

However, retailers considering body cameras must also navigate privacy and operational considerations. Policies are typically needed to determine when cameras should be activated, how long footage is stored and who can access recordings. Clear communication with employees and customers may also be necessary to ensure transparency about the use of the technology.

Industry analysts note that body cameras are not a standalone solution for retail crime. Instead, they are often deployed as part of a broader technology ecosystem that may include fixed surveillance cameras, artificial intelligence analytics, access controls and improved store design.

As retailers continue evaluating tools to address theft and workplace safety concerns, body-worn cameras are emerging as one option that may help strengthen incident documentation while supporting safer interactions on the sales floor.


States Continue to Get Tough on Repeat Offenders
Repeat Anchorage shoplifters could face felony charges under new Quality of Life Initiative

Attorney General Stephen Cox and Municipal Attorney Eva Gardner say the tools to fight crime were always there — they just weren’t being used

Shoplifters who have racked up misdemeanor after misdemeanor in Anchorage could soon face felony charges — not because of any new law, officials say, but because the state and city are now using tools they already had.

Attorney General Stephen Cox and Anchorage Municipal Attorney Eva Gardner signed a memorandum of understanding Jan. 8, formalizing a joint task force to address retail theft, public-space disorder and other quality-of-life crimes.

Both officials described a partnership designed to eliminate the jurisdictional gaps they say have allowed repeat offenders to cycle through the system without consequence.

“Especially in Anchorage, when I was meeting with folks here, the elephant in the room was the crime situation here in Anchorage,” Cox said. “And I think a lot of it is sort of low-level offenses. We have a big retail theft problem with all of our stores.”

The task force puts city and state prosecutors, law enforcement, and public health and housing specialists at the same table — with the goal of closing gaps between agencies. Members will meet regularly to track trends in retail theft, public-space behavior, drug crime, and domestic violence and sex crimes, and will invite federal partners into drug discussions as needed. alaskasnewssource.com


Have You Heard About Whole Foods Jail?
What really happens after those recreational probiotics thieves get caught.
Whole Foods doesn’t publish its shoplifting policies publicly (last year’s annual report didn’t even mention theft), but I’ve been able to piece some of it together. Like many retailers, Whole Foods instructs employees not to physically intervene if they see someone stealing. (On Reddit, employees refer to this as the “no-heroes policy.”)

And despite long-standing rumors to the contrary, Whole Foods (and Jeff Bezos) apparently isn’t building a dossier on your petty theft, waiting for you to hit a certain threshold before swooping in to ruin your life.

But you are, apparently, being monitored by a swarm of security officers, some of whom wander the aisles in plain clothes, and Whole Foods’ surveillance tech is improving. And when security officers catch you, they will take you to Whole Foods Jail. Sometimes with glee.

The Union Square Whole Foods jail is a windowless storage closet near the entrance. The windowless office was almost too bland to recall, she tells me, except for a rudimentary banner, printed out on a few sheets of paper that read: ALL SHOPLIFTERS ARE BANNED FROM WHOLE FOODS FOR LIFE.

A few weeks later, Gina says her parents received a $90 ticket in the mail from the company. Her father intercepted it and, to this day, Gina’s mother still doesn’t know that her daughter is a Whole Foods thief.

Retail theft is down in the city, for one thing. (By 14 percent since last year, according to the governor’s office.) Surveillance technology is improving rapidly and many retailers are looking to replace in-store employees altogether. curbed.com


$1.46M license plate readers approved for Baltimore Police

Study finds disjointed youth crime data hinders public understanding